Conquering the lionfish

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

OLD HARBOUR, St Catherine:

ARMED WITH a leather glove on his right hand, a not-so-sharp knife, and a wealth of firsthand knowledge, some of if painfully acquired, Nakhle Hado set about cleaning and demystifying the lionfish in a demonstration watched with interest by many on Saturday, July 2.

The occasion was International Fisherman's Day celebrations hosted by the Caribbean Area Coastal Management Foundation at the Old Harbour Bay Fishing Village in Clarendon.

Hado, who is employed to Food For the Poor as fishing technical manager, is regarded as one of the more knowledgeable persons on local soil when it comes to the lionfish, his job taking him to fishing villages across Jamaica to educate people on this invasive species. He is concerned that much of the information disseminated about this member of the scorpion fish family has been more sensational than instructive.

With the recognition that it is here to stay, controlling spread of the lionfish is the most practical solution, he argues.

"How we going control it? By doing these types of things. Spread the awareness for fishermen to be able to feel comfortable and understand that it's not poisonous. You just have to be careful with the spines. Once you remove them, it's just like any other fish," said Hado.

Describing it as a high-quality dinner fish ranking alongside snapper, comparing the meat texture to that of the grouper, and which he prefers roasted in foil, Hado took his audience through the proper steps for removing the spines and then scaling and gutting, with the reminder to also exercise caution when disposing of the spines.

"People are afraid of the head, they say it's poisonous. Actually, the venom comes from glands that are on the bottom of the spines and venom is injected through the spines. So the deeper it goes, the more venom is injected," he explained.

While some injuries occur when fishermen step on the live fish, most of the times they happen through improper handling.

"The first thing you have to do when you get stung is to submerge your hand where you got stung in hot water," Hado advised. "Not so hot to burn your skin, but not warm. It has to be hot - as hot as you can bear it - but you have to be careful you don't burn your hand."

He recommends using the uninjured hand to hold the next, placing both in the hot water as a precautionary measure. Doing this is very important, he stressed, as the injured hand becomes so numb you become unable to gauge the temperature and run the risk of scalding yourself.

This will have the immediate effect of reducing the severe pain, he says, noting that contrary to what many people believe, this in no way neutralises the venom.

Care in handling must begin from the moment the fish is caught - from in the boat.

Said Hado: "Put it in a bucket because you don't want any spine to break and you step on it. Same thing at the beach - you throw it away and a spine can break. You might throw it in the sea, and the waves will bring it back.

"What is happening at the beaches is that people (fishers and vendors) come with lionfish and if people don't want them, they throw them on the beach. Kids running around on the beach see them and want to hold them and start throwing them at each other."

According to Hado, there is need to address in a structured way the carelessness on the part of these primary handlers of the lionfish.

Said he: "Wrap (the fish waste) with a lot of layers of newspaper so the spine doesn't go through and stick somebody, and if you know a place where people always dispose of garbage - you know people always try to rummage through it - try to burn it. Try to do something. Just be aware, or make people aware, they should not touch it!"

If left in the open long enough, over time, the effect of sunlight and air will neutralise the venom of the lionfish spines, and freezing the fish also has the same effect, according to Hado.